| Fri 12 Aug 2011, 7:14 | | RDI - Rockwell Diamonds Incorporated - Rockwell Announces Results for First |
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RDI
RDI
RDI - Rockwell Diamonds Incorporated - Rockwell Announces Results for First
Quarter of Fiscal 2012
ROCKWELL DIAMONDS INCORPORATED
(A company incorporated in accordance with the laws of British Columbia,
Canada)
(Incorporation number BCO354545)
(Formerly Rockwell Ventures Inc.)
(South African registration number: 2007/031582/10)
Share code on the JSE Limited: RDI ISIN: CA77434W2022
Share code on the TSXV: RDI CUSIP Number: 77434W103
Share code on the OTCBB: RDIAF
("Rockwell")
Rockwell Announces Results for First Quarter of Fiscal 2012
Thursday August 11, 2011, Vancouver, BC -- Rockwell Diamonds Inc.
("Rockwell" or the "Company") (TSX:RDI; JSE:RDI, OTCBB:RDIAF) announces
results for the three months ended May 31, 2011.
Highlights:
- Beneficiation revenue from joint venture with Steinmetz trebled to
$943,842
- Stable total revenue of $8.5 million
- Continued diamond price strength with average price increasing marginally
to US$1,631 per carat
- 19% reduction in general and administration expenses
- Gross profit of $0.5 million and operating loss of $1.2 million
- Production decreased 40% to 4,428 carats due to unseasonal rain
- Net cash inflow from operating activities of $1.9 million, a year-on-year
turnaround of $3.0 million
- Net cash balance of $3.0 million after capital investments of $2.0 million
- Focus on optimizing existing operations and prioritizing initiatives to
commission pipeline of high potential projects
- Executive team further bolstered with new CEO, COO and additional diamond
metallurgy skills
- Finalization of Section 11 cession for Tirisano by Department of Mineral
Resources (DMR) post quarter end
Financial Overview
(Currency values are presented in Canadian dollars unless otherwise
indicated.)
Rockwell posted an improved financial performance for the first quarter of
fiscal 2012. The general and administrative expenses declined by 19% to $1.8
million (Q1 2011: $2.2 million) and the Company continued to generate cash
as reflected by the net cash inflow from operating activities of $1.9
million (Q1 2011: net cash outflow of $1.0 million). Rockwell preserved its
net cash balances at $3.0 million, after making capital investments of $2.2
million at the Tirisano project.
The Company delivered stable revenue of $8.5 million for the quarter,
underpinned by diamond prices which continued to strengthen. However,
revenue growth was limited by lower inventories available for sale during
the quarter as well as disappointing production due to legacy issues at the
operations which were exacerbated by the unseasonably long rainy season.
Carats sold in the first quarter decreased 3% year-on-year to 4,779 at a
marginally higher average price of US$1,631 per carat (Q1 2011: US$1,611 per
carat). The beneficiation joint venture continued to grow during the
quarter, generating revenue of $943,842 (Q1 2011: $289,010).
The Company reported a gross profit for the quarter of $502,716 (Q1 2011:
$2.5 million). An operating loss of $1.2 million compares to an operating
profit of $329,776 in the comparable period of the previous fiscal year,
mainly due to the $2.9 million inventory movement recorded in 2010.
The Company produced 4,428 carats (Q1 2011: 7,368 carats). This year-on-year
decrease of 40% is the result of the rainy season, which extended well into
the second quarter, and production issues that persisted at Saxendrift, all
of which are being addressed with the diamond value management strategy. The
closure of the Holpan operation in May 2011 also had an impact.
With current assets amounting to $12.4 million and current liabilities of
$9.0 million, the Company`s current ratio improved to 1.13 (May 31, 2010:
0.74).
Operational Overview
Production Sales and inventories
Volume Carats Average Sales Average Inventories
(m3) grade (carats) value (carats)
(carats (US$ /
/ 100 carat)
m3)
Q1 2012 593,164 4,428 0.75 4,779 1,631 706
Year-year -22% -40% -23% -3% 1% -84%
change
The production of the Company decreased by 22% to 593,164 cubic metres (May
31, 2010: 756,476 cubic metres) which was below internal targets. The
decline was due to the closure of operations at Holpan, high levels of
precipitation which extended beyond the normal rainy season and impacted
overall productivity. Volume production at the Saxendrift operation was
stable for the quarter.
The Company continued to focus on reducing mining costs across its
operations, but unit costs were impacted by the lower volumes. The average
operating cash cost for the Company`s productive operations was US$10.48 per
cubic metre.
Holpan and Klipdam
At the time that the Holpan mine was placed on care and maintenance in May
2011, a process to consolidate its resources with those of Klipdam was
initiated to extend the remaining combined life of mine. Processing at the
Holpan DMS plant was immediately stopped, the plant was sold and, where
possible, the staff was redeployed to other local mining sites.
Mining and processing efficiencies were impacted by the high clay content in
the Rooikoppie gravel related to the prolonged rainy reason. Material for
the Klipdam plant was primarily sourced from the palaeo channel, where
mitigation measures to address the impact of higher rainfall have started to
pay off. However, processing of damp gravels continued to impact the plant
processes.
Looking forward into the second quarter, Klipdam has begun to focus on the
processing of quality material and the efficient recovery of diamonds under
the leadership of new management team in support of the diamond value
management approach.
Saxendrift
Production volumes at Saxendrift were maintained but the persistence of sand
lenses impacted efficiencies in the recovery of diamonds. Although the
recovered grade declined by 42%, the mine continued to generate high quality
stones as reflected in the average value per carat that increased by 10% to
US$2,686.
The in-pit desanding plant continued to be ineffective and, based on the
findings of an independent review of the mine`s processing plant, the Board
approved the replacement of the current vibrating screen with fit-for-
purpose technology which should enable the processing of wet and sticky ores
to converge towards the required processing rates. Other initiatives are
also being evaluated to improve plant efficiency.
Progress on Tirisano acquisition
The last conditions precedent for the Tirisano acquisition have been
fulfilled. The senior debt which was provided by the Industrial Development
Corporation was restructured in July 2011 and the Section 11 cession
approval from the DMR was received early in August 2011. Rockwell is now in
a position to complete the transaction and take effective ownership of the
mining rights.
A plant review was undertaken at Tirisano, resulting in recommendations to
improve the processing plant which is currently under construction. The
commissioning schedule was modified and the first two production streams of
the plant will now go into production at the end of the third quarter of
2011 ramping up to a monthly capacity of 90,000 cubic metres.
Our metallurgists are currently reviewing the flow diagrams for the new
front end and the Company plans to complete construction early in fiscal
2013, depending on the availability of capital. The remaining two lines will
be redesigned to implement processing technologies which support Rockwell`s
diamond value management strategy, commencing within three months of
production commencing.
Diamond Market
The industry is currently characterized by strong consumer demand for
diamonds which is accelerating price increases of both polished and rough
stones. Initially prices for small diamonds accelerated more quickly
following the 2008 market downturn but larger sizes have recently caught up.
The strength of the market was recently confirmed with De Beers` latest
market allocation that occurred in the second week of May when prices
increased by 15% across the board.
With respect to Rockwell`s product, prices have continued to improve in
calendar 2011, although the rate of increases did not match the levels
experienced at the end of 2010. Overall prices increased 5% at the most
recent sale. Demand in specific categories of stones has started to gather
momentum as these are increasingly perceived as offering value for money.
Rockwell has a natural price hedge on its production of larger diamonds
which are sold into the Steinmetz Diamond Group beneficiation joint venture.
Strategy Overview
During the quarter, Rockwell focused on entrenching the programmes
identified in an earlier strategic review to increase the production
profile. The top goals are to optimize the Company`s productive mines in
order to deliver better returns by continuing to drive down unit costs and
to sustainably enhance the metallurgical processes to increase the recovery
of diamonds and, therefore, revenue.
With regard to making investments to increase its production profile, the
new management team has reviewed its investment priorities. Rockwell will
complete the implementation of new in-field screens at the Saxendrift
operation and the Tirisano mine project before embarking on its plans to
develop the Wouterspan and Niewejaarskraal mines. Both of these properties
have extensive mineral deposits which have historically been mined with
recoveries similar to those at Saxendrift, in terms of size, quality and
average price per carat. New high volume processing plants are planned,
incorporating the latest technologies in diamond recovery that have been
shown to be significantly more efficient than traditional DMS and pan plant
configurations. The timing of these new developments will be predicated on
the availability of funding with a preference for using internal cashflow;
however, these may need to be supplemented by external capital.
The strategic review also included an investigation to ensure that all
equipment and properties were being fully utilized. Three major assets that
were not generating adequate returns have been sold post quarter-end for a
total of $6.5 million. The proceeds from these sales have been allocated to
the new capital projects and will supplement other capital currently being
raised. This reduces the total quantity of external funds required and
limits dilution to the immediate benefit of all shareholders.
In relation to enhancing capital allocation in the Company, Rockwell
continues to review all aspects of the business to ensure that its assets
are optimally utilized. This could potentially include further sales of
underutilized assets.
Recapitalization Plan
In June, the Company announced a strategic refinancing plan including a $2
million convertible bridge loan from Daboll Consultants Ltd., an affiliate
of the Steinmetz Diamond Group. This was the first step in the planned
recapitalization whereby the Company is raising capital in a combination of
potential private, shareholder and public placements to make the required
investments to increase the production profile to 10,000 carats per month
within five years. The proceeds from the placement will be invested in plant
improvements at Saxendrift, the ongoing development of the Tirisano mine as
well as preliminary work on a new plant at Wouterspan.
Daboll Consultants Ltd also subscribed for shares amounting to $5 million as
part of the current private placement at a price of $0.75 per share. The
combined annual general and special shareholders` meeting to approve the
transaction is scheduled for September 9, 2011.
Share consolidation
On July 11, 2011, a consolidation of the authorized and issued ordinary
share capital of Rockwell became effective on the basis of 1 share for every
15 shares held. The consolidation was aimed at reducing the large number of
issued and unissued shares in Rockwell and increasing the price per share at
which ordinary shares in Rockwell are traded on the TSX and the JSE Limited.
Outlook
Although carat production in June and July 2011 was disappointing, the
strong production of diamonds in the last two weeks should enable the
Company`s performance for the second quarter to at least match the results
for the same period in fiscal 2011.
In particular a number of exceptionally large, high quality stones including
three diamonds weighing 180, 128 and 94 carats as well as several stones of
between 20 and 50 carats have recently been recovered at Saxendrift. This
should enable the mine to deliver on its budget for the quarter. At Klipdam,
a process to optimize volume throughputs to the plant has begun and there
are early indications that it will lead to improved diamond recovery.
Inflationary pressure on mining expenses, particularly in relation to fuel,
power and labor, is an area which Rockwell is monitoring closely in addition
to its overhead expenses in order to achieve further cost reductions. The
efficiency initiatives encompassing the diamond value management approach
are being aggressively implemented at the operations and are expected to
start paying off in the third quarter of fiscal 2012.
Another critical aspect of the Company`s turnaround at Saxendrift and
Klipdam is the proposed introduction of continuous operations at these mines
and management continues to negotiate with the DMR and relevant unions in
this regard.
The fundamentals for the diamond market remain strong, underpinned by
growing demand from China and India. While prices increased by some 50% in
the calendar year to date, the Company anticipates that the market could see
more normalized increases as it enters a short period of consolidation.
Nevertheless, with the recovery of several exception diamonds in the second
quarter, the Company anticipates strong revenues from its beneficiation
joint venture arrangement.
Commenting on Rockwell Diamonds, Mr James Campbell, CEO and president of
Rockwell Diamonds said:
"The results for the first quarter demonstrate that although production was
under pressure, the underlying financial health of Rockwell continued to
improve. This is evidenced by the 19% reduction in overhead costs, the
positive cash inflows from operations and the fact that we maintained our
net cash balances at $3.0 million after making further investments to
increase our future production. In the last eight weeks, we have taken
decisive action to address the areas of underperformance in our operations.
I believe that as a result of these actions, we will start to see the
further financial benefits from improved efficiencies and recoveries."
"We have the makings of a successful mid-tier diamond mining company. Having
invested significant time and effort to fully understand our resources, we
recently bolstered our diamond metallurgy skills to make sure that we
leverage the full value of these resources. Our pipeline of high potential
projects can be leveraged to deliver our targeted monthly production of
10,000 carats within five years. Diamond value management underscores all
our activities, and this philosophy extends to all our capital investments.
Our first priority will be to commission the Tirisano mine and implement an
effective front-end screen at Saxendrift. Once these have been fully bedded
down, we will turn our attention to securing the required capital resources
and constructing the processing plants at Wouterspan and Niewejaarskraal,
deploying the latest proven technologies to maximize the value created from
these properties."
Conference Call:
Rockwell will host a telephone conference call on Friday, August 12 at 09:00
a.m. Eastern Time (3:00 p.m. Johannesburg) to discuss these results. The
conference call may be accessed as follows:
Country Access Number
Canada (Toll-Free) 1 866 605 3852
USA (Toll-Free) 1 800 860 2442
UK (Toll-Free) 0 800 917 7042
South Africa (Toll-Free) 0 800 200 648
Other Countries (Intl Toll) +27 11 535 3600
A transcript of the audio webcast will be available on the Company`s
website: www.rockwelldiamonds.com. The conference call will be archived for
later playback until midnight (ET) August 15, 2011 and can be accessed by
dialling the relevant number in the table below and using the pass code
17768#.
Country Access Number
South Africa (Telkom) 011 305 2030
USA and Canada (Toll) 1 412 317 0088
Other Countries (Intl Toll) +27 11 305 2030
UK (Toll-Free) 0 808 234 6771
For further details, see the Rockwell`s complete financial results and
Management Discussion and Analysis posted on the website and on the
Company`s profile at www.sedar.com. These include additional details on
production, sales and revenues for the quarter, as well as comparative
results for fiscal 2010.
For further information on Rockwell and its operations in South Africa,
please contact
James Campbell CEO and President +27 (0)83 457 3724
Stephanie Leclercq Investor Relations +27 (0)83 307 7587
About Rockwell Diamonds:
Rockwell is engaged in the business of operating and developing alluvial
diamond deposits, with a goal to become a mid-tier diamond mining company.
The Company has three existing operations, which it is progressively
optimising, two development projects and a pipeline of other projects with
future development potential. Rockwell is also at an advanced stage of
completing the acquisition of an additional development property.
Rockwell continually evaluates merger and acquisition opportunities which
have the potential to expand its mineral resources and to develop additional
production that would provide accretive value to the Company.
No regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information
contained in this news release.
Forward Looking Statements
Except for statements of historical fact, this news release contains certain
"forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities
law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such
as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate",
"estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or
conditions "may" or "will" occur. Although the Company believes the
expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on
reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future
performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from
those in the forward-looking statements.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in
forward-looking statements include uncertainties and costs related to
exploration and development activities, such as those related to determining
whether mineral resources exist on a property; uncertainties related to
expected production rates, timing of production and cash and total costs of
production and milling; uncertainties related to the ability to obtain
necessary licenses, permits, electricity, surface rights and title for
development projects; operating and technical difficulties in connection
with mining development activities; uncertainties related to the accuracy of
our mineral resource estimates and our estimates of future production and
future cash and total costs of production and diminishing quantities or
grades if mineral resources; uncertainties related to unexpected judicial or
regulatory procedures or changes in, and the effects of, the laws,
regulations and government policies affecting our mining operations; changes
in general economic conditions, the financial markets and the demand and
market price for mineral commodities such and diesel fuel, steel, concrete,
electricity, and other forms of energy, mining equipment, and fluctuations
in exchange rates, particularly with respect to the value of the US dollar,
Canadian dollar and South African Rand; changes in accounting policies and
methods that we use to report our financial condition, including
uncertainties associated with critical accounting assumptions and estimates;
environmental issues and liabilities associated with mining and processing;
geopolitical uncertainty and political and economic instability in countries
in which we operate; and labour strikes, work stoppages, or other
interruptions to, or difficulties in, the employment of labour in markets in
which we operate our mines, or environmental hazards, industrial accidents
or other events or occurrences, including third party interference that
interrupt operation of our mines or development projects.
For further information on Rockwell, Investors should review Rockwell`s
annual Form 20-F filing with the United States Securities and Exchange
Commission www.sec.com and the Company`s home jurisdiction filings that are
available at www.sedar.com.
Canada
11 August 2011
Sponsor
Sasfin Capital (a division of Sasfin Bank Limited)
Date: 12/08/2011 07:14:00 Produced by the JSE SENS Department.
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